The Overdue Kiss
by Leigh Ann
Summary: It's clear to everyone that Ron and Hermione like each other. So what happens when Hermione goes to spend the rest of the summer with Ron, and he.....
1. Disclaimer!

(Harry Potter and other characters don't be long to me, but the plot of this story does belong to me! This is just something I came up with late one night! J.K. Rowling is the genius behind them. Keep them coming J.K.!) 


	2. The Unforgettable Fight

"The Unforgettable Fight"

      Hermione paced very nervously back and forth in her living room waiting for 4:00 to arrive. She stopped in front of the mirror above the glossy black baby grand piano. Hermione looked at the mess upon her head she called her hair.  She took the ponytail holder from her wrist, and began to try to tame the beast.  It took her thirteen different times of pulling her hair up till she was satisfied.  She usually did this when ever she was nervous.  But she had never been this nervous about going to Ron's house before.  "We're friends.  This is what friends do.  They go to each other's houses, and hang out.  Yes.  Right.  We're just friends," she said under her breath as she continued pacing.  She didn't notice that her mother had entered the room.  "Hermione, darling, you're going to wear out our new carpet."  She had a grin on her face at her little joke, but Hermione's was that of a horror-like expression.  Her mum saw this and immediately tried to soothe her daughter's horror.  "I was just kidding, you know.  What's the matter, Hermione?"  Her mother asked as her grin faded away into a look of concern.  Hermione hesitated.  "I-I am just nervous about using the Floo Powder1, mum.  That's all."  She had lied.  That wasn't the reason she was nervous at all.  She was nervous about going to see Ron.  She had been there before but this time it was different.  Hermione sighed.  Her mum's grin reappeared, "Well, its safe isn't it?  Don't Harry and the Weasley's use it all the time?"  She knew her mum would understand but for some reason Hermione couldn't bring herself to tell her.  So Hermione just faked some confidence and replied, "Yeah, they do!  I have nothing to worry about!"  Her mum smiled at her again, and with a quick hug, her mother left into the kitchen to begin dinner.  Hermione began to pace again.  As she did, she wrung her hands anxiously.  She began to think to herself about last year.  She needed to sit down.

      She stretched herself out on the comfy sofa, and the memories of last year began flooding through her head.  One of the many memories that had been haunting her the most all summer was the one of her and Ron's fight.2 Secretly she had wanted him to ask her to the Yule Ball.  She would have said yes.  But instead, he waited around until the last minute to find a date.  It was a stupid fight that was fueled by jealousy and a fondness for each other.  Their attraction was undeniable.  It was obvious to everyone at Hogwarts.  They were both just too stubborn to admit it.  But that night of the fight, they had reached the end of their ropes.  Ron just wanted to ask some one fairly decent and who would say yes; instead of asking someone he liked.  Why hadn't he just asked her?!? Every time she thought about it she became angry.  "OH!  That Ron Weasley!"  She said this under her breath.  Hermione wasn't paying attention to the grandfather clock that stood next to her. And before she realized it, 4:00 had crept upon her and past by five minutes.

     "Oh no!  I am late!"  She grabbed her trunk and Crookshank's carrier, and then hurried to the fire place. "Mum!  Dad!  Hurry!  I'm about to leave!"  Her parents rushed into the living room where Hermione was and hugged their daughter goodbye.  "I'll miss you two!  See you next summer!"  She said as she began to cry.  Through her tears, she said. "I'll send you a ton of owls!"  With tears in her mum and dad's eyes they said, "We'll miss you too, darling!"  Her dad handed her mum his handkerchief, and she politely blew her nose.  Her parents stepped back as she reached for the sterling silver urn that was garnished with emeralds, rubies, sapphires and topaz upon the mantle.  She opened its beautiful mouth, took a bit of its powdery continents, and threw it from her hand into the fire.  The fire went from blazing orange to a glowing emerald green.3  Hermione scooted her immensely heavy trunk into the fire place, picked up the carrier that held Crookshanks (who wasn't too please about going into his carrier and gave her quite a fight earlier), and then put herself into the green flames.  She waved good-bye as she shouted "THE BURROW!!!", and then she was gone.

1 The magical powder used in the Harry Potter series to transport wizards and witches by fire places.

2 The fight about the Yule Ball from the fourth book.

3 That's the color the fire turned in the "Chamber of Secrets" book.


	3. Hermione's Arrival at the Burrow

**_"__Hermione's Arrival at the Burrow"_**

     It wasn't the most pleasant of trips, but it got you where you wanted to go fast!  All the zooming up, over, and every other direction and also the feeling that she was spinning very fast made Hermione very sick.  And then as quickly as she had left, she all of a sudden stopped.  Hermione was more than grateful for the ride to be over.  She heard some familiar voices as she opened her tightly closed eyes.  "Hermione, dear, what took you so long!" said Mrs. Weasley as she helped Hermione out of the fire place.  "We were beginning to worry!"  "I lost track of time.  Sorry," she said as she dusted herself off.  "Oh no trouble!  We just hoped that you hadn't gotten off at the wrong grate."  Mrs. Weasley spoke with her very warm smile that made Hermione feel comfortable no matter what.  Hermione coughed as she tried to dust all of the soot off of her clothing and then asked, "Um…Mrs. Weasley, could you?  I can't do magic you know.  It's against the rules."  Mrs. Weasley took out her wand, "Oh!  Of course dear."  She swished and flicked her wand, and Hermione became spotless of soot.  "Thank You!" she said gratefully.  "No problem.  The boys are outside.  Harry just arrived this morning."  Hermione let out a nervous sigh. "OK, try to act normal," she thought to herself while she said, "Ok Mrs. Weasley.  Thanks!"

     As she walked out into the Weasley's backyard, where Harry and Ron were turning denoming the yard into a Triwizard Tournament[1] event, she nervously patted her skirt and made sure her shirt was tucked properly.   Harry looked up from grabbing at gnome, which when he looked away bit him, when he noticed her.  "OUCH!  Hey, Hermione!"  He said excitedly.  Ron, had been quite involved with trying to sling the gnome far away, suddenly stopped what he was doing.  "Hi Hermione."  He gazed into her eyes with what one would consider deep adoration.  "Hello, Ron."  Hermione tried to calm herself; she didn't want to turn a violent shade of red in front of them.  Ron had already to go pink.  Their eyes lingered into each others for what seemed like forever.  Harry looked back and forth from the two for a second until he decided to break the silence. H  "So, how was your holiday?"  Hermione jerked her eyes away from Ron to Harry.  "OH!   It was great.  We went to Ireland.  There's so much history there!  I learned loads!"  She said this trying to sound as normal as she could.  Ron sighed, "Hermione, don't you ever do anything besides study?"

     Later that day, they had a wonderful dinner that left them feeling very satisfied and very sleepy.  Hermione was tired from her trip and decided she was going to turn in early.  She was walking down the hall to Ginny's room when she heard someone call out her name.  "Hey Hermione!  Wait up!"  It was Ron.  Her heart skipped a beat and fluttered as though a million butterflies were loose in her.  He presented her with an envelope that had her name written on it as neatly as Ron could.  She may have been mistaken, but the letter smelled as if he tried to make it smell nice.  It was a little overwhelming.  She looked at the letter and then at Ron.  "Read it after I leave, will you?"  She nodded.  With that he turned and went to his room without another word.  She walked into Ginny's room and plopped down on her bed they had there for her.  After a few minutes of staring at the letter, she opened it.  As she  read she let out a quiet gasp," Ron!"

  


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[1] "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" JK Rowling The tournament where three representatives from different schools competed against each other.  It's meant to bring them together and make new alliances.


	4. The Letter

"The Letter"

_Dear Hermione,_

_            There has been a memory replaying over and over again in the back of my mind, and its bout to drive me mad.  I needed someone to talk to about it, but that someone wasn't near.  So I tried to talk to Mum, Dad, Ginny, Harry, and even Percy but I gave up before I spoke because they weren't the ones I needed to talk to.  I don't think they would understand what I am going through with this memory.  So I tried to write you.  You are the only one who would understand.  You cannot imagine how many times I have written and rewritten this letter till I found it perfect.  I got Pig's hopes up so many times, he's still kind of mad at me!  And then finally I decided to give it to you when you came to the Burrow.  I thought it might be easier then!  I guess I won't know till I do!_

_            Hermione, the memory that I am talking about is the one of our fight.  I can't stop thinking about how stupid I was to not ask you.  I really wanted to, but my fear of rejection stopped me.  I want you to know how sorry I am for being so rude to you in the common room that night.  I also want to apologize for calling you a liar when you told me you already had a date.  And I also want to apologize for my attitude at the Ball.  I was out of line.  _

_            I couldn't help it when I saw you and Krum.  I lost it!  It drove me crazy to know that you two were there together, and that I wasn't him!  Hermione, I have feelings for you.  I have since our first year, and every year after that my feelings have done nothing but grow stronger.  I am beginning to think that I love you.  And that petrifies me.  All of these feelings are new to me.  I wish I knew how you felt.  That's the reason it took me so long to give you this letter.  I wasn't quite sure what you felt, and I still don't know.  But I decided to tell you how I felt anyways because if I didn't soon I would have exploded!  _

_            Now that's said I want to go into exactly how I feel.  Just promise me that you won't laugh, ok?  Here it goes!  You are the most beautiful creature I have ever seen.  I can't keep my eyes off of you.  I know you must have caught me a million times in class looking at you.  You have the most beautiful, innocent doe eyes that sparkle as if God himself placed the most brilliant stars in them.  But do you know what truly makes you beautiful to me?  Your mind.  I am in awe of you because of how much you know.  I know that I have made fun of you for being a know-it-all, but in reality I am jealous of you.  I want to apologize for that.  I know it hurts your feelings.  It breaks my heart when ever you are hurt.  I just want you to be happy, and I am willing to do what ever it takes to make you happy._

_            I don't know what I'd do with out you, Hermione.  The very thought of you no longer existing scares me.  When you were petrified, I prayed to God every hour of every day for you to return.  I don't thing Harry quite understood why I was as upset as I was.  Not saying that he wasn't upset, he was.  I was just somehow different.  I don't know how to explain it._

_            I know this letter sounds strange; at least it does to me.  I can't believe that I have written it and that you are reading it now.  I just hope that if you don't have the feeling for me that I do for you, we can remain friends.  If I can't have you as my love, I'll have you as my friend always.  Well, bye then._

_                                                                                                Ron      _


End file.
